RITUALS FOR COMPUTER OPERATION                     
                                                              
.##.##.### «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« #.##.###.#
##.##.##..                                          .##.##..##
..##.##.#. THE COMPUTER IS A VERY  COMMON  TOOL  IN ##.##.#.#.
..#.##.### THE FUTURES, AND IN  SOME WAYS EVEN NOW. ..##.#####
#.###.##.. ITS JOB IS  TO DO VAST AMOUNTS OF  SMALL ..#.##....
###..##.#. CALCULATIONS IN A SHORT AMOUNT  OF TIME. ..###.#...
#..#.#.###                                          #.#..###..
##.#####.. MOST  WORK  ON  THE PRINCIPLES OF POSING .###.#..#.
#.##....#. THE PROBLEM  ON A  HILBERT PLANE,  WHICH .#..###.##
.##.#...## IS THEN  FOLDED  OUT  OF  CAUSALITY,  SO ###.#..##.
.#.###..#. THAT  DAEMONS  CAN   SOLVE  THE  PROBLEM #..###.#.#
####..#.##   WITHOUT AFFECTING REAL LIFE. (THESE    ##.#..####
....#.###. DAEMONS  ARE  UNDER  CONTRACT  WITH  THE #.###.#...
....###..#         COMPUTER MANUFACTURER.)          ###..###..
....#..#.#                                          #..#.#..#.
....##.###   IT'S COMMONPLACE FOR PROGRAMMERS AND   .#.####.##
#...#.##.. CLERKS  TO PRAY TO THE  "GODS" OF  THEIR .###...##.
##..###.#. COMPUTER,  OR  TO THE DAEMONS DOING  THE .#..#..#.#
..#.#..### WORK,   FOR   A  QUICK  AND  FAULT  FREE ###.##.###
#.####.#..                OPERATION.                #..##.##..
###...###.                                          .#.#.##.#.
#..#..#..#      SOME UBIQUITOUS AND GENERALLY       ######.###
.#.##.##.#    NON-CONTROVERSIAL RITUALS INCLUDE:    #.....##..
.###.##.##                                          ##....#.#.
.#..##.##.      ««# LIGHT A SCENTED CANDLE #««      #.#...####
###.#.##.#        ««# FOR QUIET AND CALM #««        .###..#...
#..####.##                                          ##..#.##..
##.#...##.     ««# RECITE A MANTRA OR OTHER #««     ..#.###.#.
#.###..#.#    ««# REASSURING MESSAGE TO MAKE #««    #.###..###
.##..#.###     ««# THE COMPUTER COMFORTABLE #««     ###..#.#..
.#.#.###..           ««# AND AT EASE #««            #..#.####.
.#####..#.                                          ##.###...#
##....#.##     ««# SOME LIKE TO SAY A BRIEF #««     #.##..#..#
..#...###.     ««# PRAYER FOR SOLACE, TO BE #««     .##.#.##.#
#.##..#..#   ««# LEFT ALONE DURING THEIR WORK #««   .#.####.##
.##.#.##.#                                          ####...##.
.#.####.##    ««# OFFER A CUP OF STEAMING TEA #««   #...#..#.#
####...##.    ««# OR A MEAL TO THE MACHINES #««     .#..##.###
....#..#.#     ««# (SOMETIMES, BY FEY RULES, #««    ###.#.##..
....##.###      ««# THE DAEMONS ARE ALLOWED #««     ...####.#.
....#.##..        ««# TO RESPOND TO THIS) #««       ...#...###
#...###.#.                                          #..##..#..
##..#..### «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« .#.#.#.##.
           ~~~«~     ~   ««~   ~            «~   ~«           
           ~     ~~     ~     ~     .      ~.     .           
           .            .                  =      .           
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           WOULD    YOU    CONSIDER    CODE    GOLF           
           TO    BE    A     KIND     OF    PRAYER?           
           AS   IN,   YOU    MAKE   A   CONVOLUTED,           
           INTRICATE,   BEAUTIFUL,   AND    USELESS           
           ARTIFACT.  AS   IN,  YOU'RE  USING  YOUR           
           SKILLS    TO    ASK    FOR    SOMETHING,           
                                                              
           ...I'D   ASK  FOR  A  HANDFUL  OF  BUGS?           
                                                              
           CODE   HAS    BUGS,    LOTS    OF    IT.